Jardin Top Tens:Top Ten Hummingbird Plants

Monarch Butterfly feeding on milkweed

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Butterfly Weed

Asclepias turberosa is a species of the milkweed plant and requires full sun. Hummers love the bright flowers and aphids find them irresistible as well. Now what's so great about aphids? Well, they're a great source of protein for hummers and an early warning system for treating the rest of your plants for the infestation that's on it's way.

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Foxglove

Digitalis purpurea is a tall stately plant with heavy clusters of conical shaped blooms. Children storybooks often depict fairy like creatures using foxglove blooms as tiny little hats! The colors range from pale yellow to deep cerise lighting up the shadows of semi-shaded or woodland areas.

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Coral Bells

Heuchera are low-growing perennials with large serrated leaves displaying tiny bright flowers held aloft on groups of slender stems. The flower color range is all shades from light to dark matched up with foliage in even more dramatic tones. Grey green, goldenrod and deep purple leaf clusters contrast with pale pink, red or salmon flowers. They like a bit of shade here in Texas.

lobelia cardinalis

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Cardinal flower

Also known as lobelia cardinalis, cardinal flowers like full to partial sun and do best in a moist environment. They don't like transplanting but do re-seed with many "volunteer" plants for distributing throughout your yard.

Phlox paniculata

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Phlox

There are 67 varieties of phlox so be sure to select phlox paniculata (upright growth) or phlox drummundii (spreading mat). The drummondii is an annual and the other 67 types are perennial.

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Sage

Sage (salvia) is a member of the mint family (lamiaceae). With nearly 1000 versions it would be best to stick with brightly colored salvias readily available at local nurseries and garden centers. Two good examples are a purple perennial called mexican bush sage (salvia leucantha) and cherry sage (salvia greggii) a red colored perennial.

Hill Country penstemon

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Beardtongue

Lucky for gardeners in Central Texas beardtongue (penstemon) likes thin rocky soil and full sun. Rock penstemon (baccharifolius) and Hill Country penstemon (triflorus) are great choices for this area.

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Bee Balm

Another plant from the lamiaceae family is Bee Balm (monarda). The 16 varieties are annuals, biennials and perennial's so choose accordingly. Color ranges from pink and red to light purple and they like the same conditions as lobelia, moist soil and full to partial sun.

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Lupine

Genus name lupinus has a few varieties available for residential use. Lupinus polyphyllus has been bred to achieve 4' in height on stout stems and come in a wide range of colors. Russell hybrids are well known for their bright flowers and bees love them as well as hummers!

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Columbine

The most common used in our area is red columbine (aquilegia canadensis) and my favorite, yellow (aquilegia chrysantha). Growing up to 3' high, they prefer part or full shade in moist, well drained soil. The horned extensions and cupped bloom looks a lot like a bright insect when the plant sways in the breeze.